How to Sell on Amazon Global from India: A Step-by-Step Guide

1. Why Expand Internationally with Amazon Global?

• Massive Customer Base: Amazon’s global marketplaces collectively serve hundreds of millions of active customers. Even niche products find buyers.
• Streamlined Infrastructure: Amazon handles payments in multiple currencies, local returns, and customer service—so you can focus on your products.
• Diversified Revenue: By selling abroad you insulate yourself against domestic slowdowns and currency fluctuations.

In practice, Indian fashion exporters have seen 2–5× order volume by listing on Amazon US; home décor brands often unlock new premium segments in Europe.

2. Verify Your Eligibility & Complete Registration

2.1. Business Requirements

• PAN & GST registration in India
• Registered bank account and a credit card for international transactions
• Valid passport or government ID for the authorized signatory

2.2. Sign Up for Amazon Seller Central Global

1. Visit the Amazon Global Selling portal.
2. Click “Register Now” and choose the overseas marketplace(s) you wish to join.
3. Complete the online form: provide business details, tax information, and identity verification documents.
4. Agree to the marketplace’s terms & conditions and submit your application.

Approval typically takes 3–5 business days. Meanwhile, set up your shipping and tax information in Seller Central.

3. Choose Products & Optimize Listings

3.1. Market Research

• Use Amazon’s Best Sellers pages to spot high-volume categories in each region.
• Leverage tools like Helium 10 or Jungle Scout for keyword and competitor analysis.

3.2. Creating Your Listing

• Localized Titles: Translate or adapt your title to local language conventions (e.g., use “trainer” vs. “sneaker” in the UK).
• Bullet Points & Descriptions: Emphasize USPs—sizing, materials, warranties—in clear, native English.
• High-Resolution Images: Follow each marketplace’s image guidelines (usually ≥1,000 px on the longest side).

Local compliance matters: make sure your product labels and manuals meet the destination country’s regulations (CE marking for EU electronics, for example).

4. Pricing Strategy & Managing Fees

4.1. Understand Amazon’s Fee Structure

• Referral Fees: Typically 8–20% of sale price, varies by category.
• FBA Fulfillment Fees: Covers pick-and-pack, shipping to customer, and returns.
• Monthly Storage Fees: Charged per cubic foot in Amazon’s warehouses.

4.2. Currency Conversion & Pricing Tools

• Use Amazon’s Currency Converter for Sellers (ACCS) or a third-party FX provider to repatriate earnings at competitive rates.
• Factor in duties, VAT/GST (e.g., 20% VAT in the UK) when setting your list price to maintain margins.
• Consider psychological pricing (e.g., $19.99 vs. $20.00) to improve conversion.

5. Shipping & Fulfillment: FBA vs. Self-Ship

5.1. Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA)

• Amazon handles warehousing, shipping, customer service, and returns in the destination country.
• Automatic Prime eligibility—boosts visibility to millions of Prime customers.
• Inventory prep: you send bulk shipments to Amazon’s import warehouse (e.g., in the US or EU).

5.2. Self-Ship (FBM)

• You maintain control: pick, pack, and ship orders directly to international customers.
• Greater flexibility on packaging and carriers (DHL, FedEx, Aramex).
• Must manage overseas returns and customer support yourself.

Pro Tip: Many sellers start with FBM to test demand, then transition winning SKUs to FBA for scaling.

6. Navigating Customs & Duties

• Harmonized System (HS) Codes: Accurately classify your products to avoid delays and fines.
• Import Duties & VAT: Prepaid by Amazon for FBA shipments—reflected in your fulfillment fees. Self-ship sellers must estimate DDP (Delivered Duty Paid) vs. DDU (Delivered Duty Unpaid).
• Restricted Items: Check each country’s prohibited/restricted list (e.g., cosmetics, batteries).

Work with a customs broker or your freight forwarder to streamline clearance; errors can lead to inventory being held at port for weeks.

7. Drive Traffic with Sponsored Ads

• Sponsored Products: Keyword-targeted pay-per-click ads to appear in search results.
• Sponsored Brands: Showcase your logo and up to three products at the top of search pages.
• Sponsored Display: Retarget shoppers who viewed your product but didn’t purchase.

Allocate at least 10% of your gross margin to advertising—monitor ACoS (Advertising Cost of Sales) and adjust bids weekly.

8. Provide World-Class Support

• Respond to buyer messages within 24 hours—even on weekends.
• Offer hassle-free returns: International buyers value clear policies and prepaid return labels.
• Use Amazon’s global return options for FBA to automate the process.

Stellar customer service not only lowers negative feedback but also boosts your overall seller rating—critical for Buy Box eligibility.

9. Analyze Performance & Scale

• Business Reports: Track unit session percentage (conversion rate), buy box win percentage, and return rates.
• Experiment & Iterate: A/B test titles, images, and prices every 4–6 weeks.
• Expand Marketplaces: Once stable in one region, add another marketplace—e.g., from US to UK or Germany.

Build a playbook: document your best practices for onboarding a new SKU or a new marketplace to streamline expansion.

Conclusion

Selling on Amazon Global from India unlocks a vast, diversified revenue stream—but it demands meticulous planning across product selection, pricing, compliance, and customer experience. Follow this step-by-step guide: register correctly, optimize your listings, choose the right fulfillment path, and continually refine your approach with data. Before long, you’ll have a truly international brand reaching customers in the world’s largest e-commerce markets.

Ready to go global? Start today, and let Amazon’s infrastructure power your growth.